Mother Night: Myths, Stories and Teachings for Learning to See in the Dark

Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, published in 34 languages and one of the most far-reaching artist-psychoanalyists of our time, teaches that in archetypal imagination, "Mother Night is the quintessential medial woman, the woman who can walk in two worlds... 'the one who knows' and who can reveal solid ways of living and unleashing creative life in both worlds."

Joyous Body: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype

"Each one of us is a triumvirate being - at once the union of the body, soul, and all that lies within." For any that exprience disharmony amongst these three vital aspects, Dr. Clarissa Estes reveals a path back to wholeness. Join her with the Joyous Body for the third volume of her masterwork on the Wise Woman archetype. This empowering six-session program shares original and old family stories, poems and psychological commentary on the challenges, remedies and ancient knowings of the female body, "that which is not a dumb servant but a divine human traveler and consort."

The Power of the Crone: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype

Entering the terrain of wisdom comes at any age. We sometimes step, sometimes stumble, and other times are pulled into the territory of the Crone when the need for a deeper, larger understanding of our most meaningful paths in life can no longer be denied, and when the gifts are hidden in our challenges must be brought forth.

How to Be an Elder: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype

How to Be an Elder presents the culmination of Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés' masterwork, inviting us to “come into our own as wiser and wild souls” through six sessions of teachings, stories, poetry, and blessings. In this fifth and final volume of Dr. Estés' landmark series, we will explore how it is that through the gathering of our years we become a beautiful refuge for ourselves, our Souls, and for those who come after us.

The Late Bloomer: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype

Are you waiting for New Life, for your talents to bloom? With The Late Bloomer, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes presents volume four of her masterwork on the Wise Woman archetype, bringing you six sessions of origial tales, stories from her ethnic families, poems, blessings, and psychological commentary exploring the cycles of "burgeoning, blooming New Life."

Warming the Stone Child: Myths and Stories about Abandonment and the Unmothered Child

The pain of abandonment, both real and metaphorical, can cast a shadow over our entire adult experience. Warming the Stone Child investigates the abandoned child archetype in world myths and cultures to find clues about the process of healing the "unmothered" child within us all. Spiced with Dr. Estes' wonderful storytelling, Warming the Stone Child is a unique listening experience with a practical edge.

Bedtime Stories: A Unique Guided Relaxation Program for Falling Asleep and Entering the World of Dreams

As a child growing up in a family of cantadoras (keepers of the old stories) Clarissa Pinkola Estes learned first hand how a stroy told at bedtime can soothe away the troubles of the day and prepare the way for another night's dreams to follow. Now a beloved cantadora herself, Estes shares this treasured family tradition with you on Bedtime Stories, her own special collection of tales to relax and ease you to sleep.

Dangerous Old Woman: Myths and Stories of the Wise Woman Archetype

Dr. Estes asks, "Did you know, you were born as the first and the last and the best and the only one of your kind and that eccentricity is the first sign of giftedness? Those are two of the crone truths I have to offer you." If you have any doubt, come join us at the fireside of the "Dangerous Old Woman" for the soul-healing wisdom that will ignite your creativity and support your highest calling in life - to become a dangerous old woman of wisdom yourself.

The Creative Fire: Myths and Stories on the Cycles of Creativity

An expanded edition of the classic on creativity by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes guides you through the dark labryinths of the psyche in search of la chispa - the ember that is the elemental source of all creative work. Dr. Estes teaches about the hidden aspects of creativity, including the negative complexes that prey upon creative energy.

Seeing in the Dark: Myths and Stories to Reclaim the Buried, Knowing Woman

Buried within all of us is what Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes refers to as the "one who knows" - our instinctive, intuitive nature. This, she teaches, is the source of creativity and undersatnding that lies out of sight in darkeness, often called the unconscious. On Seeing in the Dark, listeners join the esteemed Jungian psychoanalyist and best-selling author to learn how to perceive "through the eyes of soul as well as through the eyes of the ego."

Theatre of the Imagination, Volume 1

Come to the stage between two worlds - come to the Theatre of the Imagination. On this six-part live performance series, bestselling author and beloved cantadora (keeper of the old stories), Clarissa Pinkola Estes shares the work of her lifetime: myths, tales and poetry with the power to nourish and heal. Contained within the audio for Theater of the Imagination are the great univeral themes - tales of loss and ressurection, of love and sacrifice; of the courage to survive- yet it is if Dr. Estes is speaking only to you.

In the House of the Riddle Mother: The Most Common Archetypal Motifs in Women's Dreams

Every night of our lives, we experience between five and seven dreams, each reflecting our most intimate passions and conflicts. Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés compares each one to a riddle. Once solved, it can provide a surprising answer to an unresolved question buried within the psyche. On In the House of the Riddle Mother, Estés surveys the most common archetypal patterns women experience while dreaming.

What if you could live your life in partnership with divinity, using your intuition as your guide? According to Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D., and Caroline Myss - such a life is possible. In fact, it is the life that mystics have chosen throughout history, and only one thing is required: the willingness to completely surrender to divine instruction. Now Caroline Myss and Dr. Estes - two of the country's leading intuitives and bestselling authors - are together for the first time on audio with Intuition and the Mystical Life.

From five to seven times each night, we dream and glimpse into a reality not normally available to us. Now Jungian psychoanalyst and author Clarissa Pinkola Estes explores the symbols, themes and insights of these letters from our subconscious, with the beginning student in mind.

Theater of the Imagination, Volume II

Come to the stage between two worlds - come to the Theater of the Imagination. On this six-part live performance series, best-selling author and beloved cantadora (keeper of the old stories), Clarissa Pinkola Estes shares the work of her lifetime: myths, tales, and poetry with the power to nourish and heal. Contained within Theater of the Imagination are the great universal themes - tales of loss and ressurection, of love and sacrifice; of the courage to survive - yet it is as if Dr. Estes is speaking only to you.

The Red Shoes

The Red Shoes is a dramatic excursion into the realm of the soul with analyst Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Using an ancient tale deeply rooted in our collective psyches, Dr. Estes illuminates how people fall prey to destructive impulses while seeking to balance thier inner lives.

Sitting by the Well: Bringing the Feminine to Consciousness Through Language, Dreams, and Metaphor

In Sitting by the Well, this acclaimed Jungian analyst and author uses dreams, symbols, and body imagery to reach into the shadows of the unconscious mind and cast light on our everyday lives. Here is a poetic culmination of Woodman's many years of work with the psychological impact of patriarchy on men's and women's lives - from distorted body image and addiction to sexual trauma and relationships to our ultimate connection with the Great Mother (matter) and Great Father (spirit).

The Faithful Gardner: A Wise Tale About That Which Can Never Die

What in life is unconquerable; what survives? On The Faithful Gardner, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes mines the rich storytelling tradition of her own family to unearth a series of lyrical stories that illustrate how faith is the one immortal force in our lives. Raised by a family of refugee immigrants who revered stories as healing instruments, Dr. Estes tells these ageless stories first told to nourish, repair and strengthen - whatever is most needed and wanted.

The Radiant Coat

As an analyst working with the dying, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés has developed seminal methods to help ease the fear that can accompany the dying process. In The Radiant Coat, this bestselling author shares myths and stories first told at the bedsides of the dying to comfort them and their loved ones. For other cultures, Dr. Estés teaches, death holds no terror. It is in fact characterized as an ally, a wise and caring figure, leading departed souls through the starry night into the next day.

Dreams: Language of the Soul

In Dreams: Language of the Soul, Marion Woodman turns her attention to the world of dreams and their collective patterns and interpretations. Acclaimed for her work as an author and Jungian analyst specializing in feminine psychology, Woodman describes how the very destiny of the soul is directed through dreams. In rich detail, she helps us explore the images, myths, and metaphors that express our collective concerns and grasp how dreams allow us to navigate and fathom the future.

The Gift of Story

There is a gift so simple that it requires no ribbons for wrapping yet which is so miraculous, it has the power to transform our lives. This is The Gift of Story, a tale of love and wisdom from Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, eminent psychoanalyst and author. When an old woman flees to a hut in a lonely forest, begins Dr. Estés, she seeks safety from the savage war that has devastated her village. What sustains her is the greatest of all gifts: a story.

Memories, Dreams, Reflections

In 1957, four years before his death, Carl Gustav Jung, psychiatrist and psychologist, began writing his life story. But what started as an exercise in autobiography soon morphed into an altogether more profound undertaking.

Somatic Descent: Experiencing the Ultimate Intelligence of the Body

With Somatic Descent, you are invited to tune in to the natural wisdom of your body, refine and amplify it, and explore it fully. In this program pioneering teacher Dr. Reggie Ray presents a fascinating audio program on this rich dimension of Tibetan Buddhism: how to go beyond the veil of the thinking mind to tap the wondrous yet wholly trustworthy domain of your body.

Healing the Core Wound of Unworthiness: The Gift of Redemptive Love

"So many of us hold a deep belief that we were born unworthy," reflects Adyashanti, "inadequate, unlovable, and alone." But what if, in truth, we weren't put here to pay penance, change our karma, or "fix" ourselves? What if we chose to be here because we so loved the world that we poured ourselves into it - to make it whole again, to restore "the hidden divinity amid the disaster"? With Healing the Core Wound of Unworthiness, we're invited to entertain that possibility.

Publisher's Summary

"There is a promise Holy Mother makes to us," explains Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, "that any soul needing comfort, vision, guidance or strength, can cry out to her, flee to her protection, and Blessed Mother will immediately arrive with veils flying. She will place us under her mantle for refuge, and give us the warmth of her most compassionate touch, and strong guidance about how to go by the soul's lights." Untie the Strong Woman is Dr. Estes' invitation to come together under the shelter of The Mother - whether she appears to us as the Madonna, Our Lady of Guadalupe, or any one of her countless guises.

Would you consider the audio edition of Untie the Strong Woman to be better than the print version?

Yes. This is the kind of book that audio books were created for. The author seems to be speaking to me rather than reading her book. I could read it but I don't know if I would have imagined some of her emphasis. And she has a masterful 'pause' that couldn't possibly come out in a book.

What other book might you compare Untie the Strong Woman to and why?

Her previous book, Women Who Run With Wolves. I haven't been downloading audiobooks long enough to have a huge history with how other authors have read their books.

What about Clarissa Pinkola Estes’s performance did you like?

Her voice is hypnotic. The words are evocative. I thought I could listen to this book and work at the same time. I actually just sat back and drank my tea - and listened.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I've listened several times already. There's so much more being said in this book than the words would lead us to believe. Each time I listen, I am allowed to drop into a deeper layer of understanding.

What does Clarissa Pinkola Estes bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her voice. CPE's voice, her slight accent, the way we are allowed to hear words form in her mouth, the way she laughs, and lets you feel as though you *could* be listening to your grandmother telling her own stories - this reading of Untie the Strong Woman is a Soul-balm, soothing, comforting and captivating.

Any additional comments?

I only gave 4 stars for the reading because it is a bit soft - which may be an enhancement, lending to the atmosphere if you can listen in an quiet environment. For me, in my car, or at the computer in the office, it's a bit tricky to get the volume balanced.

I'm a Catholic, and was expecting this to be more in the line of Catholic teaching on Mary. It is not. It very well may be Mexican tradition of Mary. The first part I can very much identify as I believe to have been visited in a dream by the Holy Mother during a difficult time in my life. But the writer goes too far into non Catholic teaching and crosses into paganism. Clearly she's very passionate about our Holy Mother. But she lost me in the second section as she got off track, and ended up making this more about Mexican spirituality and less about Jesus and His mother.